Study links Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Reduced Mortality in Hypertensive Individuals

In a recent study published in the journal BMC Public Health, researchers investigated the association between cardiovascular health (CVH) and mortality in people with hypertension.

Globally, approximately 1.13 billion people suffer from hypertension, making it a leading cause of cardiovascular events and mortality. This condition significantly contributes to both morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Despite considerable advancements in the development of pharmacological treatments, effectively managing hypertension demands a comprehensive strategy. This includes not only medication but also a strong emphasis on non-pharmacological interventions. These non-drug approaches play a crucial role in hypertension management and encompass lifestyle modifications such as maintaining a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, reducing alcohol consumption, and managing stress.

In this study, researchers examined the relationship between a set of eight lifestyle and environmental factors (referred to as LE8) and both cardiovascular and overall mortality in people with high blood pressure. They used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Each of the eight LE8 components was given a score from 0 to 100, and an average score was calculated for each person. Blood pressure was measured, and the average systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were determined from three consecutive readings. Hypertension was defined as either taking blood pressure medication, self-reported high blood pressure, an average SBP of 140 mmHg or higher, or a DBP of 90 mmHg or higher.

The results revealed that participants with high cardiovascular health (CVH) scores (LE8 score of 80-100) had a lower risk of death from any cause compared to those with low (score ≤ 49) or moderate (score 50-79) CVH scores.

Those with low CVH scores had the highest risk of death. After adjusting for various factors, it was found that higher LE8 scores were linked to lower mortality risks. Specifically, each 10-point increase in the LE8 score reduced the risk of death from any cause by 8% and the risk of death from CVD by 18%.

The study showed a clear relationship between higher CVH scores and lower mortality rates, consistent across different age groups, races, body mass index (BMI) categories, sexes, and histories of diabetes or CVDs.

Reference: He L, Zhang M, Zhao Y, Li W, Zhang Y. Association between new Life’s Essential 8 and the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with hypertension: a cohort study. BMC Public Health, 2024, DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19189-z, https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-024-19189-z